How to motivate yourself to stick to a workout routine

We all love the novelty of something new, but once we get too much of it, the initial excitement and thrill begins to wear off. Think about how excited you were when you got a new mobile phone and about how the thrill slowly wore off after some time. It’s not surprising then that when most of us take up a new workout regime, we start out enthusiastically in the hope of seeing fast results, but we invariably fall into a rut sooner than expected. How do you stay motivated to work towards a healthier you, one day at a time?

Let’s start at the beginning. Before you take up a new workout regime, be honest with yourself and stay realistic. Tell yourself that there will be days when you will not feel like working out at all but that you can overcome such feelings too. Now here are some other tips to motivate yourself the right way-

a) Make it fun– We carry this notion that exercise is meant to be boring but research proves that if you do something you genuinely look forward to; you will lose weight and get fit faster. For instance, joining a taekwondo class gives you a 2 in 1 benefit- you get to learn a martial art and have a great workout in every class.

b) Do it in a group– Research shows that people who work out with friends or who have a partner tend to stick longer to a routine than those who work out alone. Are you training with a friend yet?

c) Plan your goals- What do you want to get out of a workout regime? For some, weight loss may be the goal whereas others may be training for a bigger event like a marathon. Be realistic when planning your goals, write them down and take a look at what you’ve written before you work out. You’ll be surprised at what a big motivation booster it is.

d) Have a schedule- If you have a fixed workout schedule for the week, you are more likely to stick to it and less likely to make excuses about skipping it.

e) Change is good- Not in the mood for your regular workout? Change your routine for a day or two, but keep up the tempo. For instance, you could choose to go for a walk in the morning or do some light cardio workouts in the comfort of your home.

Remember that any workout you choose should never be something that you force yourself to put up with, but rather something that you look forward to everyday. With a bit of extra effort, you won’t be looking for excuses to skip your classes anymore.